Start
Q1 Does the statement create an enforceable requirement (e.g., “shall/must/required”)?
Yes → It is NOT a note.
Move it into PART 1/2/3 as enforceable language (or rewrite as requirement).
Next: Q2 (to confirm scope / audience)
No → Possibly a note.
Proceed to Q2 to see whether it’s an appropriate UFGS note type.
Next: Q2
Q2 Is it primarily about how to EDIT/APPLY the guide spec (not what the contractor must do)?
Yes → EDITORIAL NOTE (usually keep).
Examples: “Delete this paragraph if X is not used,” “Coordinate with Section 07 22 00,” etc.
Check Q5 (vagueness) before finalizing.
No → Go to Q3.
If it’s not about editing, it might be design-coordination or informational—or it might not belong.
Next: Q3
Q3 Does it prevent a common, high-impact DESIGN MISAPPLICATION (table misuse, boundary conditions, known trap)?
Yes → DESIGN LIMITATION NOTE (often keep).
Best notes: quantified thresholds + clear consequence + clear action (e.g., “tables not applicable when…”).
Check Q5 (vagueness) and Q6 (redundancy).
No → Go to Q4.
If it doesn’t prevent a known mistake, it may be “extra reading” (usually remove).
Next: Q4
Q4 Is it a cross-discipline COORDINATION WARNING that routinely causes RFIs/rework?
Yes → COORDINATION NOTE (keep if scoped).
Keep it tight: what must be coordinated, with whom, and where it belongs (drawings vs spec).
Check Q5 (vagueness) and Q6 (redundancy).
No → Likely informational. Go to Q5.
Informational notes are allowed only if they are specific and clearly non-normative.
Next: Q5
Q5 Is it VAGUE or non-actionable (e.g., “see digests,” no doc numbers, no scope, no threshold)?
Yes → Remove or rewrite to be specific and non-normative.
UFGS should not defer to unspecified external literature. If retained, scope it and mark “for information only.”
Next: Q6
No → Go to Q6.
Specific + scoped notes can survive if they add clarity and reduce systemic errors.
Next: Q6
Q6 Is it REDUNDANT with enforceable text or cited standards already in the section?
Yes → Remove or relocate.
If the requirement already exists in PART 1/2/3 or a normative reference, the note adds noise.
Outcome: Usually DELETE (or convert into a targeted editorial instruction).
No → Keep (with correct note type).
Keep only if it clearly reduces common mistakes, improves coordination, or guides editing without creating requirements.
Outcome: KEEP (Editorial / Design Limitation / Coordination / Informational).
Cheat Sheet Quick outcomes (what UFGS should do)
KEEP as a NOTE when it:
Prevents a common misuse of tables/assumptions, flags a boundary condition, or forces coordination that routinely fails.
Must be specific, scoped, and non-normative.
MOVE into enforceable text when it:
Contains “shall/must/required” or otherwise creates contractor obligations.
REMOVE when it:
Is vague (“see digests”), duplicates existing requirements, or exists only for general education/background reading.